This Rhubarb Cake is a super-simple, 1-bowl cake recipe made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar, with a moist dough full of rhubarb.
While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!
Like This Recipe?
Leave a comment below or head to our Facebook page where I reply to (almost) all comments, our Instagram page for inspiration, or our Pinterest for saving recipes!
Rhubarb Cake
This Rhubarb Cake is a super-simple, 1-bowl cake recipe made with no eggs, no dairy, and no refined sugar, with a moist dough full of rhubarb.
Print
Review
Share on Facebook
Pin
Save in Email
Servings: 16 slices
Calories: 181.1 kcal
Ingredients
Cake Batter
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour - (note 1)
- 1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar - (note 2)
- 1 ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¾ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 3)
- 1 cup Almond Milk - (note 4)
- 1 tablespoon Lemon Juice - (note 5)
- 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 ½ cups Rhubarb - chopped in 0.4-inch cubes (1 cm)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Slightly oil the paper with cooking oil spray. Set aside.
- Wash the rhubarb stalks under cold tap water. Pat dry with absorbent paper to remove any dirt and water.
- Place on a chopping board and chop with a long, sharp knife into about 0.4-inch pieces (1cm). Also, cut 10 bigger 0.8-inch chunks (2cm) to use as decor on top of the cake. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk all the dry ingredients: flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and cinnamon.
- Add oil, almond milk, lemon juice, and vanilla extract. Use a rubber spatula to stir and form a smooth batter.
- Fold in the chopped rhubarb, and stir evenly to incorporate.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
- Press the 10 bigger chunks of rhubarb on top of the cake batter.
- In a small mixing bowl, prepare the cinnamon sugar for the cake toppings. Add cinnamon and 1/3 cup of sugar, stir to evenly combine.
- Sprinkle the prepared cinnamon sugar all over the top of the cake, including on top of the larger chunks of rhubarb.
- Bake the cake in the center rack for 35-45 minutes at 350°F (180°C) until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool down in the pan for 10 minutes, then for 1 hour on a cooling rack before slicing into 16 squares.
Notes
Note 1: Or white spelt flour. Almond flour or oat flour won’t work. For a gluten-free version, use my gluten-free conversion guide.
Note 2: Or any granulated sweetener you love, like sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.
Note 3: Or canola oil, or other light-flavor oil you like.
Note 4: Any dairy-free milk works, like oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk.
Note 5: Fresh or bottled, it works with both!
Storage: Store the cake in the fridge in a cake box for up to 4-5 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1slice (from 16 slices) | Calories: 181.1kcal | Carbohydrates: 30.1g | Protein: 1.9g | Fat: 7.1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Sodium: 112.7mg | Potassium: 82.4mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 21.2IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 0.9mg | Magnesium: 6.2mg | Phosphorus: 28.2mg | Zinc: 0.1mg
Ingredients and Substitutions
This paragraph gives you all my tips about picking the right ingredients. For the full recipe with measurements, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of the post!Go to Full Recipe
You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.
- All-Purpose Flour – This creates the main structure of your cake. You can also use white spelt flour here. Almond flour or coconut flour wouldn’t work. For a gluten-free version, use my gluten-free conversion guide.
- Unrefined Cane Sugar – This sweetens the cake batter. Other granulated sweeteners like white sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar are also good options. I also use it for the cinnamon sugar topping.
- Baking Powder – This helps the cake rise and gives it a tender texture.
- Baking Soda – This also contributes to the cake’s rise and reacts with the lemon juice to create a light crumb.
- Light Olive Oil – This adds moisture and a rich quality to the cake. Canola oil or other light-flavored oils are also perfectly fine to use.
- Almond Milk – This provides the necessary liquid for the batter, contributing to a moist cake. Oat milk, soy milk, or coconut milk also work well.
- Lemon Juice – This adds a bright, tangy flavor and activates the baking soda for proper leavening. You can use fresh or bottled lemon juice.
- Cinnamon – This spice brings a warm, aromatic note that complements the rhubarb.
- Vanilla Extract – This enhances the overall flavor of the cake with its sweet, comforting essence.
- Rhubarb – This is the star of the cake, providing a unique tartness and tender texture. I put small chunks in the dough and longer sticks on top of the cake.
How to Make Rhubarb Cake
This cake is really easy to whip up in just a few minutes. Here’s how in pictures.
Chop the rhubarb in small dice for the batter and longer sticks for the top of the cake.
Combine the dough ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
Incorporate the rhubarb dice into the dough.
Transfer to a baking pan lined with parchment paper,
Add the cinnamon sugar on top and the rhubarb sticks.
Bake the cake on the center rack for 35-45 minutes at 350°F (180°C).
Carine’s Baking Tips
Let me share a few more tips for a perfect cake.
- Reduce Tartness – If you find rhubarb too tart, try this simple trick: in a bowl, stir 3 tablespoons of flour with 3 tablespoons of sugar. Toss the 2 1/2 cups of chopped rhubarb in this mixture before folding it into the cake batter. This coating helps mellow the rhubarb’s acidity.
- Less Lemony – For a less lemony cake, you can skip the lemon juice in the recipe or swap it out for an equal amount of almond milk.
- Almond Flavor – Add 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract to the cake batter for a delicious almond flavor. Almond and rhubarb go so well together.
- Crunchy Topping – For a light, crunchy, nutty flavor, sprinkle sliced almonds or chopped pecans on top of the cake along with the cinnamon sugar.
- Even Chunks – Make sure your chopped rhubarb for the batter is in consistent 0.4-inch (1 cm) pieces so it cooks evenly within the cake.
- Don’t Overmix – When combining the wet and dry ingredients and folding in the rhubarb, stir just until everything is combined. Overmixing can lead to a tough cake.
Could I use strawberries with this rhubarb? They compliment each other so well.
Absolutely, you can swap some of the rhubarb for finely sliced strawberries.
Highly recommend this recipe! I used frozen rhubarb that was 95% thawed out and it was yum. Great reviews from the entire family. Wondered if I could substitute spelt or any other flours because I’m trying to avoid wheat and maybe less sugar, using applesauce? This time I followed your recipe and it was excellent, thank you!!
Thank you! If you want to cut down sugar and don’t ind a less sweet cake, you can easily cut down a 1/3 cup – using only 2/3 cup. I wouldn’t add applesauce, it will add mositure turning the crumb gummy. Healthier flours will be white wholewheat or white spelt or use my gluten-free conversion chart to use gluten-free flours.
My family loved this!
Thank you!